


same soul

by yasi



Category: EastEnders (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-09
Updated: 2020-03-09
Packaged: 2021-02-28 20:00:17
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,365
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23082871
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yasi/pseuds/yasi
Summary: Ben has always known he’d be Callum’s downfall. He never wanted to be, but he knew he would be one day.
Relationships: Callum "Halfway" Highway/Ben Mitchell
Comments: 2
Kudos: 51





	same soul

Ben has always known he’d be Callum’s downfall. He never wanted to be, but he knew he would be one day. And now that day has come.

Ben is a little hazy on the details, only remembers someone hitting him on the back of his head. The next thing he knows, Callum is untying his restraints, asking if he’s okay over and over again. Ben is in pain, his head throbbing, his heart beating in tune with his throbbing head. He only tries to shake his head once, but the ensuing nausea stops him from trying again. Callum’s cold hands on his face and his forehead are a short reprieve. He sighs, leaning into the welcome touch.

“What’s happened?” He slurs the question a little, still trying to get his bearing.

“You don’t remember?” Callum’s look is concerned, his hands turning Ben’s face this way and that way softly, checking that he's not bleeding. He brushes over Ben’s cheeks, making him shiver.

“I only remember something hitting the back of my head and the next thing I know is you standing over me.”

That’s when Ben sees the body lying on the floor of the Arches. The man is bleeding out of a head wound.

“Callum, what’s happened? Who is that?” he asks, feeling panicky.

“I don’t know who he is. I wanted to come and get you for our lunch date and when I came in, he was tying you up. He came at me with a wrench when he saw me… we struggled. I got ahold of the wrench and I hit him. I don’t know if he’s alive. I just needed to see that you were okay, Ben. Are you okay?” Callum is still holding Ben’s face.

Ben blinks a couple times, trying to make sense of what Callum’s told him. A mad had hit him over the head and had tied him up. Then Callum had come in and they’d fought and now the stranger is lying on the floor, bleeding from a head wound. And Callum doesn’t know if the man is still alive or not. Fuck! Ben closes his eyes, taking a deep breath.

“Why does this keep happening?” He asks, not expecting an answer. “Why is the universe against me being happy? WHY?” Ben covers his face, wanting to scream.

“Ben?” Callum sounds scared and Ben would give anything to change that.

“Okay,” he says, trying to get up. With Callum’s help Ben stands, trying not to make any sudden movements. His stomach is still turning, making Ben nauseous. He looks for his phone but he can’t find it. He turns to Callum. “Can I have your phone?”

“Yeah.” Callum hands it to him, still staring at him with concerned eyes.

“It’s okay, Callum. I’ll take care of this. Don’t worry.” He tries to calm his boyfriend. “You go home, get changed and put your bloody clothes in a bag. Wait for me to come and get you.”

“What? No, I’m not leaving you alone with him.” Callum protests, shaking his head.

“Callum, whoever he is, he was here for me. I’m not letting you go down for this. Go get cleaned up. I’ll come for you, promise.” 

“You promise? You won’t go away and leave me?” He asks, his voice shaky.

Ben deflates a little, understanding what Callum is saying.

“No, Callum. I won’t run away without you. I’ll sort this out and then we’ll go away for a bit until things are settled. Promise.” He smiles, trying to reassure his boyfriend. Callum studies him for a moment and then nods.

“Okay. I’ll wait for you,” he says, squeezing Ben’s arm. He heads to the door, opening it. He turns back to Ben one last time, before leaving quickly.

Ben takes a couple deep breaths, before he goes to check if the stranger is still alive. He’s not sure if he wants for the bloke to be dead or alive. Either way, it’ll be a problem. He crouches down and turns the man onto his backside, studying his face. Ben doesn’t recognise the man, but that doesn’t say much. He tries to feel the man’s pulse. It takes too long, but Ben can finally feel a weak heartbeat. Fuck, fuck, fuck!

Ben knows he’s panicking, but he has to stay calm, he has to take care of this. For Callum. He gets up and dials a number he knows by heart.

“Dad, it’s Ben. I need your help.”

~*~*~

“Callum?” Ben asks into the room, when he enters Callum’s flat. “Are you here?” He looks around the kitchen and living room, but Callum isn’t there. He turns towards the bedroom when Callum opens the door and comes out. He’s changed his clothes, just as Ben told him to do. He looks nervous, his hands shaking a little.

“You okay?” he asks, closing the distance between them and hugging Callum a little too tightly. Callum hugs him back just as tightly.

“Me?” Callum extricates himself from Ben’s arms. “I’m not the one who’s got his head bashed in. How are you?” Callum asks.

“You know me, got a thick head, ain’t I?” Ben tries to joke.

“Ben!”

Ben sighs, pulling Callum to the sofa and sitting down close to him. He takes Callum’s big hands into his, steadying himself. 

“My head is killing me, and I have a big bump that hurts like hell whenever I touch it. But I’ll survive.” He smiles at Callum. “Now, how are you?”

Callum shrugs, looking down at their entwined hands. He swallows.

“What happened after I left?” he asks quietly, still not looking at Ben. Ben sighs again.

“I took care of it.”

“You took care of it? How?”

“The man was someone my dad used to have dealings with. A while ago my dad broke off their business arrangement, because the man was unreliable and my dad didn’t want the coppers after him – well, even more so than they already are. Apparently, the guy thought he could shake down my old man for money if he kept me hostage or some nonsense.” Ben explains. Callum nods in understanding.

“Is he-is he still alive?” he asks, his voice shaking.

Ben studies him, takes in his hunched shoulders, his unsteady breath. He lets go of Callum’s hand and cups his face, making Callum look at him.

“He was still alive when my dad came in. But now that we know what the man wanted, I can’t guarantee what’s gonna happen to him. My dad won’t let this go. And I wouldn’t want him to. He promised me he’d take care of things. I don’t want you to worry, though. I won’t let anything happen to you, no matter what.”

“I’m not worried about me!” Callum tells him. “The man was after you, Ben. Who knows how many people like him are out there. Phil has to make sure they won’t come after you again!” Callum says heatedly, startling Ben.

And finally Ben understands. Callum hadn’t been worried about himself, about what would happen to him. He’d been worried about Ben, about there being other people who might want to hurt him. He’s not even panicking about what he’s done to that man. Ben sometimes forgets that Callum was in the army, had seen things, done things other people had no idea of. Ben’s just….

“God, I love you. You know that, right?” He attacks Callum’s lips, kissing his breath away, nipping at his lips. When they come up for air, Ben lingers in Callum’s space, breathing him in, enjoying the intimacy of being close to him.

“Let’s get out of here,” Ben whispers. “Get away for a couple days, just you and me.”

Callum smiles at him, making Ben’s heart swell.

“Yeah, let’s do that.” He nods.

Perhaps Ben isn’t Callum’s downfall after all. Perhaps Callum is who Ben’s been waiting for his whole life. Someone to love him no matter what, despite knowing is flaws and his past. Someone to be by his side and to put him first. In that moment Ben promises himself, he’ll always put Callum’s happiness before his own. He’ll do anything he can to make Callum happy.


End file.
